empinar

The Spanish verb "empinar" has several related meanings and uses. Here's an explanation in English:

Meaning:

1. To raise or lift up:
   "Empinar" can mean to raise something upwards or to tilt something so that one end is higher than the other.
   Example: "Empinar un palo" = to raise a stick upright.

2. To raise or lift drinking vessels:
   In a colloquial sense, especially in some Spanish-speaking countries, "empinar" can mean to tilt a glass or bottle to drink quickly or finish it.
   Example: "Empinar el codo" (literally "to raise the elbow"), means "to drink alcohol," often implying drinking a lot or frequently.

3. To raise or elevate someone's spirits or mood (less common figurative use).

4. To make something steep or vertical: When referring to terrain or slopes, "empinar" can mean to become steep or to make a path steep.

Parts of the word:

• "Em-" is a prefix meaning "in" or "into."
• "Pinar" is derived from "pino," meaning "pine tree," but here it is related to "pin" or a "peg/hang," historically linked to raising or propping up.
  (However, "pinar" alone usually means a pine forest—here the meaning likely derives from the verbal root "pin" related to standing or raising.)

Synonyms:

• Levantar (to lift)
• Alzar (to raise)
• Inclinar (to tilt)
• Erigir (to erect, in a certain context)

Antonyms:

• Bajar (to lower)
• Inclinar hacia abajo (to tilt downwards)
• Derribar (to knock down)

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In summary, "empinar" mostly involves the action of raising, tilting upwards, or making something vertical, whether physically (lifting an object) or figuratively (drinking alcohol).